THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB

I know that this is totally random, but I will explain a picture God gave me a little while ago, about having the right tool for the job. He showed me, tools for gardening, big plastic hands to rake and pick up leaves, a beautiful dress for dancing in the rain, and finally a bible for life.  This has inspired me to blog, although I think a quick live video would probably get the point across quicker. However, God is stretching me, writing, a little more each time, to inspire those around me to live life, not watch it go by, we are built to soar high, higher together, so readers, read on.

And for my friends, who shall remain anonymous, grab your glasses. (the right tool to be able to read more fluently, than straining).

Tools: A device or implement, used to carry out a particular task.

Tool Belt: For quick access to essential tools, where we carry frequently used tools.

Right now, I have been gardening, it has got out of hand, not my favourite way to spend a day or two. So, staying on top of it over the past year, was last on my bucket list. Then the day finally arrived and I could no longer hang clothes on the back line, due to the grass being higher than my clothes basket. It hit me, no slapped me in the face, I must do something. But wait, where was my lawn mower, oh that is right my neighbour has it, hmm only to find out, no, it is broken and he has been using his parents for the past couple of mows. So, the first tool I needed was a lawn mower, praise God for neighbours across the road, they had a working lawn mower. The lawns were finally going to be conquered, well, was I wrong. The right tool for this job, was not a lawn mower, that is right, it was way too high, a whipper snipper was needed, that is cool, I have one. At least I have one, the fact it does not work, is not helpful. Oh, but for neighbours down the road, he was able to fix it. The lawn out the back was tamed and slowly brought down to size, where I could mow. Done. So much easier with the right tools.

To take this further, I do not have secateurs that are sharp enough to work properly, not to mention the tools I do have, are old. Now I need a wheelbarrow. I have had these things over the years, but have not cared for them, as our extremely amazing neighbour cared for our yard for over 16 years. Thank you is not enough but will have to do for now. Thank you Brad. With my husband gone, my lawn mowing neighbour moved away, kids (hmm, let us not go there) working, it is now up to me. I am capable of keeping ahead of the lawns, I just need to keep the right tools in good working order and use my time wisely to keep them looking great.

It is also worth noting that there are hard, crappy and out of my league jobs to do, like cutting down hedges, these are better left to the experts. Why, because not only do they have the right tools, but they also keep them well conditioned and better still, know how to use them. The experts can wield their tools effortlessly in a couple of hours, completing the job at hand with results that far outweigh my capabilities and would have taken me weeks. A lesson learnt over the past couple of weeks, let go and let the experts do their jobs. The tools in their belt are way more powerful than mine, when the user is an expert with his tools.

Not only is it important to have the right tools but know how to use them in the right circumstances and keep them cleaned and polished, ready to use when needed. Ill cared for tools, might as well not be tools at all.

Oh, the dress in the rain, how beautiful would it be, with a rainbow over head and a dress that swirls around your legs as you sing in the rain. It conjures up an image of freedom for me, for others, wet and cold. Some tools we care for more than they are worth, for example, a dress, I usually keep these for worthy occasions, only to realise that they do not occur often enough and the dresses that you love and are keeping for that special day, are only worn once or twice. But those you care less about, you wear every day. Some you even grow out of before you get to wear it again. Me, I am in a spot that all those I saved for a rainy day, when I lost weight, guess what, I am wearing them! But now I do not want to, as they are not what I like any more. PASS on your clothes. Recycle and reuse.

It says in the bible not to care about what you eat or drink. Wear your best when you can, do not save it for a special day. Save it for a rainy day, let us dance in the rain, allow God’s love to pour down over us.

Matt 6:25 -34

Do Not Worry

“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

 Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

---

Now let me get down to the real reason I am blogging; I want to inspire you with the best tool for your life.

THE BIBLE.

If you have read down this far, the best bit is here.

Life throws at us various events that we have no control over; however, life also involves many events that we can prepare for. It is important that over the course of years, we gain the necessary tools to use when the time is right. This will build a reserve of resources (tools), that we can draw on when the pressure comes. Over time we become resilient, grow emotion muscles and are able to handle crises with a much better outcome.

The best tool for life, is the bible. What, I know you do not care necessarily to hear that, but it is true.

There are so many scriptures, when you read it, that set you up for success in life. Without researching in this moment, one I have applied regularly to my life is…

2 Cor 4: 8 – 9 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 

This gives me a deep sense of hope, that whatever is thrown at me, I will make it through. Using the bible as a tool for your life, equips you to take on any challenge. It is full of love, hope, faith and even despair, grief and loneliness, but each of these words give as a landmark for how we should respond.

The thing about a bible, is it is no good sitting on the shelf, it needs to be read. For those who need a starting point, grab a devotion. “Jesus Calling” is a landmark devotion over time, reading this alongside your bible will help you draw out nuggets of truths that you can apply to your life.

I could quote so many scriptures here, but the best place is really google. I know, it is not what you thought I would say. But seriously, you google, “bible help me with my grief” boom… in less than 3 seconds you will have more than you can handle. DO IT. The right tool for the job, can be google, just make sure your bible is handy to cross-check some of those weird quotes, etc.

Here is what my google search came up with...

The Bible offers comfort in grief by, “promising that God is near the broken-hearted (Psalm 34:18), that mourning will be comforted (Matthew 5:4), and that, “death is not the end, but a transition to eternal life (John 11:25). It encourages pouring out emotions to God and trusting in his healing, as, “Jesus himself wept over the death of a friend.”

Be encouraged, life with the right tools in your hands, sharpened,

cared for and knowledge of how to use them, can change your life.

Check out my blogs, they tackle some of the tough issues, grief, being alone, love, music and even swimming across disappointment.

www.searchlightcoach.com